Thursday, August 18, 2011

color and light

Wednesday started as a slow morning. I had planned on driving around the full circuit of the lake. But it seemed like a good day to just sit and read.

I flipped my Kindle over to Jorge Castañeda’s Mañana Forever and started slogging through prose for which the adjective “turgid” was invented.

When I glanced up, I was transported into one of Felipe Zapata’s tales. The wall facing me was alive with light and shadow.

Felipe formerly wrote about how the light played off of he surfaces of his home. And it was no coincidence that I thought of him. The wall I was looking at is his. As is the selection of art.

And that reminded me that I promised to tell you a bit about the place where I am staying in Pátzcuaro.

It is a two bedroom condominium about a seven minute walk to the plaza grande. A trek I have been making two or three times a day.

The design is quite snazzy. The décor even more so.

The downstairs consists of the grand room (living, dining, kitchen), a bathroom, an atrium, and a garage. Upstairs are the two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a recreation room, and a balcony that overlooks Pátzcuaro.

The Mexican contemporary looks fits perfectly with the layout. The colors are clearly Mexican, but with a subdued hue. The place has the look of an artist inhabitant.

I like how the colors complement one another in the furnishings and the art pieces.

Because I am a sucker for texture, the three seed balls on the living room coffee table fascinate me. But then, I am easily amused.

I have now lived here for a two and a half weeks. It probably took me two hours before I settled into the comfort of the place. It makes me feel at home.

The fact that I do not have to turn on a fan whenever I come back to the place is enough for me to make a cool place in my heart for the condo.

Especially on days like Wednesday when I decide that staying home is a real nice option.

This is one of about 10 townhouses in a row on a cobblestone street in an otherwise totally Mexican neighborhood very conveniently located a short walk from the Plaza Grande. There is a stupendous view of the mountains. About half are still on the market for, I believe, somewhere in the neighborhood of $100,000 U.S. It's the best housing deal in town. So far, a Gringo has bought two, and a nice Canadian couple have one. My wife and I have this one. Two others are Mexican-owned. I would love to have more Gringo or Canuck buyers take advantage of this opportunity because folks from above the Rio Bravo are usually quieter neighbors. Anybody who might be interested can email me, and I can direct you to the very cooperative bullfighter who lives in Morelia and is building and selling these homes.

I just learned from the bullfighter that the houses are going for approximately $118,000 bucks now. I paid about $78,000 for ours 20 months ago, so you see where that's going. Also, the exchange rate was better then. The Mexican real estate market is not as bad as the one above the border. The two currently under construction will be a different design, smaller, and he's asking the peso equivalent of about $98,000.

We'd be delighted to have you as a neighbor, Kim. As I wrote in a reply to a comment above, the larger houses now are going for about $118,000. Two smaller ones are under construction and will be priced at roughly $96,000. You can empty the change in your pocket and cover either of those. Please do so.